Recoil-checking mechanism for cannon.



F. B. YINGLING.

REGOIL CHECKING MECHANISM FOR CANNON. APPLICATION FILED D3018, 1905.

1,010,564. Patented Dec.5,1911.

2 SHEETBSHEET 1.

i 6 I attozwm o FRANK B. YINGLING, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RECOIL-GHECKING MECHANISM FOR CANNON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed December 8, 1905. Serial No. 290,977.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. YINGLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recoil-Checking Mechanism for Cannon, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in recoil and counter recoil checking mechanism for cannon, and particularly to mechanism including means for providing a variable length of recoil for difi'erent elevations of the gun and controlling the counter recoil after such recoils of the gun.

The invention is particularly applicable for use with field guns, and has for its object 'to provide a recoil checking mechanism Which will permit of two different, definite lengths of recoil, one, the relatively longer length, for all positions of the gun below a predetermined degree of elevation of the muzzle, and the other and shorter one, for all elevations of the muzzle above said selected or predetermined degree.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a field gun provided with recoil and counter recoil checking mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional. view of the recoil and counter recoil checking devices, on an enlarged scale, on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 1 is a sectional view substantially on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the gun 1 is supported on a carriage frame 2, to rock about a horizontal axis 3 in the ordinary manner to vary the elevation of the muzzle as desired. As the present invention is applicable to guns of various styles and having mounts or car riages of different design, it is not considered necessary to illustrate these parts in detail and therefore the gun, carriage, and connections between them are shown more or less conventionally in the drawings.

The recoil checking mechanism is arranged within a cradle 4 on which the gun 1 moves longitudinally in recoiling.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, wherein the recoil controlling means are shown on an enlarged scale, 5 designates the fluid containing recoil cylinder, which is connected at its rear end with an arm 6 depending from the gun 1 so that as the gun moves longitudinally on the cradle 1, said cylinder will have corresponding movement imparted to it. A suitable counter recoil spring 8 is interposed between annular flanges or plates 9, 10, arranged respectively at the forward end of the cylinder 5 and adjacent the rear end of the cradle 4 to return the gun to its normal in battery position after firing. A guide 11 is rigidly connected to the forward end of the cradle 4 and extends longitudinally into the recoil cylinder 5, said guide being tubular or having formed therein a bore 12 into which extends a rod 13 connected with the rear end of the cylinder 5 so as to reciprocate therewith and with the gun. In the rod 13 are formedtwo pairs of longitudinally extending grooves 1 1, 15, the former being relatively short while the latter extend throughout the greater portion of the length of said rod. The grooves 15 in the rod 13 communicate with ports 16, formed in the wall of the tubular guide 11, and the grooves 14 communicate with similar ports 16 formed in said guide at points in rear of and between the ports 16 therein and shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A piston 17 is mounted to move longitudinally of the guide 11 and provided with two pairs of ports 18, 18 adapted to communicate respectively with the pairs of ports in the tubular guide member 11, and to thereby vary the time during which communication is established between the sections of the recoil cylinder on opposite sides of the piston through said ports and the grooves 14:, 15.

As the length of recoil permitted the gun depends on the period during which the fluid in cylinder 5 is permitted to pass from one side of the piston to the other, it will be readily understood that the length of recoil can be directly controlled by adjusting or varying the position of the piston in the manner described. In Fig. 2 the piston is shown in full lines with the ports 18 therein in communication with the ports 16 of the guide 11, which latter ports communicate with the grooves 15 in the rod 13, and therefore when the parts are in the position illustrated the recoil checking means act less rapidly and the maximum length of recoil is permitted. lVhen, however, the piston 17 is adjusted to close the ports 16 in the guide 11 and bring the ports 18 thereof into communication with the ports 16 in guide 11 that communicate with the shorter grooves 1 1, the recoil of the gun will be more rapidly checked and the length of recoil be reduced.

Means are provided by which the position of the piston within the cylinder during recoil will be determined by the elevation of the muzzle and the relation of the piston to the cylinder during recoil varied to render operative the ports therein which were previously closed when the elevation of the muzzle is changed beyond a predetermined extent; and these means will now be described.

The tubular stem 19 of the piston extends through a suitable stulflng box at the forward end of the fluid cylinder 5 and on said stem, beyond the cylinder, is loosely supported a stop block or ring 20 which is suitably connected to a lever 21 fulcrumed at one end, as at 22, to the cradle and having its other end connected with one member 23 of a toggle. The other member 24 of said toggle is fulcrumed on the cradle and provided with a toothed segment 25, the teeth of which engage a corresponding series of teeth formed at the forward end of a lever 26 which is fulcrumed on the cradle 4: at an intermediate point of its length, and is provided at its rear end with a guide roller 27 extending into a cam groove or way in a block or plate 28 secured to the inner face of a portion of the supporting carriage or mount 2.

The cam groove or way in which the roller 27 travels as the gun is rocked about its horizontal axis is of such form that the lever 26 will not be rocked and the block or ring 20, which controls the position of the piston within the cylinder, as hereinafter described, shifted from the position shown in Fig. 2 unless the elevation of the muzzle of the gun exceeds a certain elevation, say 22 degrees. When the gun is in horizontal position, or the elevation thereof does not exceed 22 degrees, the parts of the recoil checking mechanism will occupy during recoil the positions shown in Fig. 2, in which the longer grooves 15 are operative, and the maximum length of recoil will be permitted. As soon, however, as the elevation of the gun exceeds 22 degrees, the lever 26 will be rocked on its fulcrum and through the action of the toggle and lever 21 will move the block or ring 20 rearwardly; and during recoil with the ring or block 20 in its rear position the shorter grooves 1 1 will be operative, thereby reducing the length of recoil to the minimum.

It will be understood that by the action of the counter recoil spring the piston 17, which as before described is mounted to move longitudinally of the cylinder, will be moved forward until the enlarged forward end thereof is in contact with the stop 30 on the cradle. The parts are so positioned that when the piston is in this extreme forward position the ports 16 in the guide 11 will be partially closed. Therefore, for example, when the gun is at rest, or occupying its in battery position the forward end of the piston stem will be in contact with the stop 30 on the cradle and the forward face of the piston head will occupy a position indicated by the dotted line aa in Fig. 2. As soon as the gun begins to recoil the pressure of fluid on the forward face of the piston will move it rearwardly until the enlarged head thereof comes against the stop ring or abutment 20 and the piston will be held stationary in the position shown in Fig. 2 (it being understood that the elevation of the muzzle of the gun does not exceed 22 degrees) throughout the length of recoil. This slight movement of the piston 17 at the commencement of recoil does not materially affect the fluid movement, as the ports 18 or 18 will be fully opened before an appreciable length of recoil has occurred, or the gun has acquired a material velocity; and therefore the operative conduits 14c or 15 will be opened to their maximum capacity at practically the beginning of the recoil.

The conduits 1 1, 15 are of such form that they are open to their maximum capacity during that portion of the recoil when the movement of the gun is being accelerated by the explosion. During this period ofthe recoil, as the velocity of the gun is constantly increasing, the resistance to recoil will be correspondingly increased. The form and capacity of the conduits, beyond those sections which are operative while the explosion is accelerating the recoil, are such that the pressure or resistance is maintained substantially uniform throughout the re mainder of the recoil.

At the beginning of the counter recoil the fluid pressure will move the piston forward until the stem thereof contacts with the stop 30. This, as above described, partially closes the ports 16 and retards the flow of fluid to the forward side of the piston sufflciently to offer a certain resistance to the action of the counter recoil spring 8, thus pro viding a gradual counter recoil movement. In other words, the orifices 16 are partially closed at the beginning of the counter recoil and the fluid passage is restricted or throt tled throughout the entire counter recoil. That is, the parts are so automatically adjusted at the beginning of the counter recoil that a smaller opening or passage for the fluid is provided during counter recoil than is employed during recoil.

When the muzzle of the gun is elevated above a predetermined degree, say 22 degrees, the block or ring 20 is adjusted rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 as before described. At the beginning of each recoil when the block is in this position the piston will be shifted longitudinally of the guide 11 as before described, but to a greater extent and will be arrested and held stationary in the position indicated by the dotted lines 6-4) with its ports 18 communicating with the ports 16 in the guide 11. In this position, or adjustment, of the piston the ports 16 will be closed and the length of recoil being determined by the length of the grooves 14 will be shorter than that permitted when the parts occupy the positions illustrated.

An important feature of the present invention is that it insures that one or the other of the sets of recoil controlling grooves 14, 15, shall be in operative position at each recoil. It is impossible for the ports to be so adjusted that during any recoil both of said sets of grooves will be closed or opened. If the gun should be fired at the instant that the lever 26 is in the act of being shifted and previous to the block or abutment 20 being adjusted to either of the two positions which it is adapted to assume, the strain or pull on the piston will cause the yielding lever 26 to force the toggle up and thus bring the piston ports into alinement with the grooves 14.

Another important feature of the invention is that the counter recoil is controlled by the same ports that control the longer recoil. That is, the forward ports 16 which control the counter recoil also control the recoil when the elevation of the muzzle does not exceed a predetermined degree.

It will be noticed that the fluid conduits 14, 15, are opened to their maximum extent practically at the beginning of the recoil (the shifting of the piston 17 as before described occupying but a very short period of the recoil) and therefore the piston will be permitted to assume its proper position without undue shock. In other words, the maximum resistance to recoil does not begin immediately upon the commencement of recoil, as the parts are so proportioned and arranged that during either of the two lengths of recoil the operative fluid passage will be opened to its maximum at the beginning of recoil. The resistance to the rearward travel of the cylinder 5 will be increased during the time that the rearward movement of the gun is being accelerated by the action of the explosion gases and will remain practically uniform from the point where such accelerated movement terminates to the end of the recoil. This distinguishes the present invention from that class of recoil checking mechanism in which the necessary resistance to recoil constantly decreases from the beginning of the recoil throughout the length thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. The combination with a cannon, of

fluid recoil checking mechanism, including a fluid cylinder, a piston, means positively connected with the piston and adjustable longitudinally of said cylinder, to vary the length of the recoil, and means for holding said adjustable means stationary at either of a plurality of points within said cylinder.

2. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism, including a fluid cylinder, a piston, means arranged within and adjustable with the piston longitudinally of said cylinder, to vary the length of the recoil, and means outside of said cylinder for controlling the position of said adjustable means relative to the cylinder.

3. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism, including a piston, means connected with the piston and adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the fluid cylinder to vary the length of recoil, and means operated by a change in the elevation of the cannon for automatically controlling the position of said adjustable means longitudinally of the fluid cylinder.

4. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism, including a piston, means adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the fluid cylinder to vary the length of recoil, an abutment or stop for controlling the position of said means, and means for automatically shifting said abutment as the elevation of the cannon is changed.

The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism, including a piston, means adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the fluid cylinder to vary the length of recoil, an abutment or stop for controlling the position of said means within the cylinder during recoil, a lever connected with said abutment, and means for automatically actuating said lever as the elevation of the cannon is changed.

6. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism, including a fluid cylinder, a piston, means positively connected with the piston and adjustable longitudinally to either of two positions within the cylinder to vary the length of recoil, and means for holding the said adjustable means stationary during recoil in either of said positions.

7. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including a fluid cylinder, a piston, a plurality of sets of fluid conduits of different lengths for conducting fluid from one side of the piston to the other, and means movable with the piston longitudinally of the cylinder to render either of said sets of conduits operative and to close the others to vary the length of recoil of the cannon.

8. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including a fluid cylinder, a piston, two sets of fluid conduits of different lengths for conducting fluid from one side of the piston to the other, and means movable with the piston longitudinally of the cylinder to render either of said sets of conduits operative and to close the other set to vary the length of recoil of the cannon.

9. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including an adjustable valve, a lever adapted to cause the valve to occupy either of a plurality of positions to vary the length of recoil of the cannon, a second lever adapted to be automatically rocked when the elevation of the gun exceeds a predetermined degree, and a toggle connecting said levers and holding the first said lever stationary until the second lever has been moved a predetermined distance by variations in the elevation of the gun.

10. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including ports adjustable longitudinally of the cylinder to vary the length of recoil, means for adjusting said ports at the commencement of each recoil, and means for automatically varying the distance through which said ports are moved longitudinally of the cylinder as the elevation of the muzzle the cannon is changed.

11. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including ports adjustable longitudinally of the fluid cylinder at the beginning of each recoil, and means controlled by variations in the elevation of the muzzle of the gun for determining the position of said ports within the cylinder during recoil, whereby the length of recoil will be varied to correspond with the changes in elevation of the muzzle of the cannon.

12. The combination with a cannon, of recoil checking mechanism, including a fluid cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, ports in the piston a plurality of fluid conduits of different lengths for conducting fluid from one side of said piston to the other, and means for shifting the ports through which said conduits communicate with the fluid cylinder longitudinally of the cylinder to vary the length of recoil.

18. The combination with a cannon, of recoil checking mechanism including a fluid cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a plurality of fluid conduits of different lengths for conducting fluid from one side of said piston to the other, said conduits being adapted to communicate with the cylinder through ports arranged in diferent transverse planes, and means movable longitudinally of the cylinder to open the ports connecting the cylinder with either set of said conduits and close the ports connecting all of the other conduits With the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described.

14. The combination with a cannon, of recoil checking mechanism including a fluid cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a plurality of sets of ports arranged at different points in the length of the cylinder and through which fluid can pass from one side of the piston to the other, and a valve ad justable longitudinally of the cylinder to open either of said sets of ports and close all the others, substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. The combination with a cannon, of fluid recoil and counter recoil checking devices including port-s, and means for positioning said ports longitudinally of the fluid cylinder at the beginning of either recoil or count-er recoil, whereby said ports are adapted to control the passage of fluid from one side of the piston in said cylinder to the other during both recoil and counter recoil.

16. The combination with a cannon, mounted to recoil different distances, of fluid recoil checking mechanism adapted during plurality of variable recoils to in crease the resistance to recoil during the period that movement of the cannon is being accelerated by the action of the explosion gases and to maintain such resistance substantially uniform during the remainder of the recoil,

17 The combination with a cannon mounted to recoil diflerent distances, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including a plurality of fluid conduits, each adapted to control a definite length of recoil diflerent from that controlled by any of the others and each adapted to increase the resistance to recoil during the period that movement of the cannon is being accelerated by the action of the explosion gases and to maintain such resistance substantially uniform during the remainder of the recoil, means whereby only one of said conduits will be operative at a time, and means for successively rendering said conduits operative and varying the length of recoil as the elevation of the cannon is varied.

18. The combination with a cannon mounted to recoil different distances, of fluid recoil checking mechanism including a plurality of fluid conduits of differentlengths, each adapted to limit the recoil of the cannon to a distance different from that of any of the others, and each conduit being of such form as to increase the resistance to recoil during the period that movement of the cannon is being accelerated by the action of the explosion gases and to maintain such resistance substantially uniform during the remainder of the recoil, and means for bringing said conduits successively into 0perative posit-ion as the elevation of the gun is varied.

19. In a fluid brake for recoil-guns, in

which the fluid passes from one side of the piston to the other through a suitable passage, a throttling rod working within the piston and provided with longitudinal grooves of diiierent length, and ports in the piston adapted to be brought into position, at will, to form a part of said passage and to regulate the recoil.

20. The combination with a piston provided with a passage through which fluid passes from one side of the piston to the other, of a throttling device for the passage in the piston, and means for adjusting said piston axially to regulate the recoil.

21. In a fluid brake for guns, the combination of a longitudinally adjustable hollow piston provided with a passage through which the fluid passes from one side of the piston to the other, a guide tightly fitting within the piston, said guide being provided with a passage adapted to register with the passage in the piston and means for efiecting a relative axial adjustment between the guide and piston.

22. In a fluid brake for guns, the combination of a longitudinally adjustable piston having openings for the passage of the fluid, a guide within said piston parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brake and having openings adapted to register with the openings in the piston, and means for effecting a relative axial adjustment between the guide and piston.

28. In a fluid brake for recoil guns, in which the fluid passes from one side of the piston to the other through a suitable passage, a throttling-rod working in the piston and provided with continuous longitudinal grooves of different lengths and of gradually decreasing cross-sectional area, relative adjustment between the throttling-rod and piston being provided whereby either groove at will may form a part of said passage and regulate the recoil.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. YINGLING.

WVitnesses:

ARTHUR L. BRYANT, Gno. W. REA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

